Fence post insulator



Jan. 24,1967 R. J. BAATZ 3,300,577

FENCE POST INSULATOR Filed May 27, 1965 I NVEN'TOR.

United States Patent 3,300,577 FENCE POST INSULAT OR Richard J. Baatz, Luverne, Minn. 56156 Filed May 27, 1965, Ser. No. 459,264 1 Claim. (Cl. 174163) My invention relates to a fence post insulator.

An object of my invention is to provide an insulator for charged electric Wires and whereby said wires can be attached to a standard metal post, the insulator of my invention providing the function of insuring ample insulation between the wire and the post.

A further object of my invention is toprovide an insulator which is readily attached and which can be accommodated to standard wire clips etc.

A further object of my invention is to provide a product of this character which can be manufactured at a reasonable cost.

With these and other objects in view, my invention consists in the construction, arrangement, and combination of the various parts of my device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a forward elevation of a portion of a fence post with my insulator attached thereto,

FIGURE 2 is a side elevation of FIGURE 1,

FIGURE 3 is a sectional View of FIGURE 1 taken along the lines 3-3 thereof.

My invention contemplates the provision of an insulator device which will fully insulate a charged wire from the post itself, and which can be clipped onto the post readily and detached readily also. My invention further contemplates the provision of such an insulator wherein standard [clips can be employed, and wherein the insulator will not slip out of place, etc.

In describing my invention I have used the character '10 to designate the forward flange of a steel fence post, the character -11 indicating the usual lugs extending therefrom, and I have further used the character 12 to indicate the centrally positioned rib or flange to therefore provide the T-shaped post as shown.

In describing my insulator, I have used the character 13 to indicate generally the insulator body, which is made of a suitable spring-like or resilient plastic insulating material, the member 13 including the curled portion 14, and further including the post engaging portion 15 terminating in the further curled portion 16.

Extending from the portion 15 are a pair of vertically spaced integral bosses 17, and formed together with the curled portion 14 are the further smaller bosses 18. The character 19 indicates the usual wire clips having the portions 20 and 21, and these clips are used to secure the charged wire 22 against the portion :15, the wire 22 being placed between the bosses 17, with the clip member '19 at the portion 23 being placed between the bosses 18, these bosses 18 thereby preventing the clip 19 from moving in either direction vertically. The insulator members 13 are placed on the post by merely clipping the portion 14 over the portion 12 of the post as shown, and the portion 16 being placed over one side of the member 10 of the post, whereby the insulator will be securely held against displacement, it being noted further that the insulators are placed between the bosses 11 of the post, so that they will be further held in secure position, and when the portions 20 and 21 of the clip 19 are attached, the wire 22 will therefore be securely held.

Since the portions 14 and 16 are made of resilient material, they can be readily sprung over the post as described. The members 13 can be made of any desired size or other configurations etc.

It will now be noted that I have provided the advantages set forth in the objects of my invention with further advantages being apparent.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangements of the parts of my invention without departing from the real spirit and purpose of my invention, and it is my invention to cover by my claim any modified forms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents which may be reasonably included within their scope.

I claim as my invention:

In combination with a T-shaped-in-cross-section fence post including a fiat forward portion having lugs projecting therefrom, and further including a flange extending perpendicularly from said flat portion and at the opposite side of said lugs, and a charged wire supported by said fence post, an insulator including a curled portion receiving a portion of the outer edge of said flange, an integral side insulating portion extending from said curled portion and including a bent portion passing about a portion of the side edge of said post flat portion, -a flat insulating further integral portion extending from said bent portion and lying against said post flat portion, and including a further curled portion receiving the opposite side edge of said post fiat portion, a pair of spaced bosses attached to said fiat insulating portion and receiving said charged wire therebetween, said insulator being positioned between said lugs, a wire securing member attached to said charged wire at either side of said insulator and passing about said fence post and engaging said curled portion.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,510,686 10/1924 Knopke 265-57 2,429,857 10/ 1947 Verner 174-161 2,896,011 7/1959 Huseby 174'16'3 3,080,149 3/1963 Pilboue 174-158 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,292,775 3/ 1962 France.

18,850 1912 Great Britain.

LARAMIE E. ASKIN, Primary Examiner. 

